ERICSSON DISHING OUT THE PAIN
Big Wings’ defenceman laying out the hits and chucking the knuckles
Jonathan Ericsson won’t have to think long about his Halloween costume. The 20-stitch scar that snakes down Ericsson’s forehead between his eyes, coupled with his 6-4, 220-pound frame, makes Frankenstein a natural choice.
Not to mention an appropriate one, because Ericsson has proven to be an absolute monster on defence for the Detroit Red Wings this season.
“He’s playing really tough right now,” teammate Tomas Tatar said of Ericsson, who shares the NHL lead in fighting majors with two. “For sure with that scar he looks even tougher.
“I bet he’s having fun right now.” Having fun, and feeling no pain. “I’ve had this hip issue for years now,” Ericsson explained, estimating he’s dealt with a hip ailment the past four seasons. “There’s supposed to be a round socket that goes into the hip. It’s not round right now. It’s like square. Those edges are hitting and everything.”
Surgery will eventually be required to rectify the problem, but for now, a new summer training regimen seems to have alleviated Ericsson’s discomfort.
“I spent a lot of time in the off-season trying to get my hips going as good as possible with my trainer,” Ericsson said. “I don’t feel like I could have prepared better.
“Before I really knew what it was, after some games I had a hard time walking. Once we figured out what it was and were able to treat it the right way, I didn’t have those high ups and downs where it was going from really painful one day and feeling a little bit better the next day.
“Now it’s not as bad. My worse days aren’t as bad as they used to be.”
Instead, Ericsson, 32, is dishing out the discomfort to the opposition. “You need the presence like that on the team, a big guy who can clean up the mess around the net and I think he’s doing it right now,” Tatar said. “I think he’s just doing the right things.
“He’s hard on guys, he’s making the right decisions with the puck. He’s making real good plays and he’s a big piece of our game right now.”
Not deep in punishing defenders, the Wings need Ericsson playing with an edge to succeed. But his difference-making thus far is much more than that. He’s not as prone to the high-octane turnovers and the poor decisions with the puck as in past seasons.
You don’t need to tell Ericsson this. He’ll tell you all about it.
“At the end of last season I didn’t feel real confident,” Ericsson admitted. “I didn’t feel real confident with the puck.
“Over the years, you lose it (confidence) sometimes and it’s hard to get it back.”
He would appear to have it back now, and Detroit coach Jeff Blashill sees Ericsson deploying much of the strategy they sought from him in talks during preparation for the season.
“I think probably a number of things play into it,” Blashill said of Ericsson’s improved game. “One I would say in particular is I think he’s taking that extra second to make sure he’s making the right play with the puck.
“When you’re a big body, you can take forecheck pressure to give yourself a little more time because guys bounce off you a little bit. You can afford yourself a little more time. I think he’s done a real good job doing that, so it’s allowed him to really manage the puck well.
“He’s also winning lots of battles. When he’s playing his best he’s winning lots of battles and he’s done that lately.”
Skating on his natural left-hand side of the ice is also helping steady Ericsson’s performance but, ultimately, his physical wellbeing has the most to do with his improved level of play. “It’s about me being more confident because I can move better and make better plays,” Ericsson said.
Ericsson is feeling better. Ericsson is playing better. He’s turning into the monster the Wings always figured he could be.
One I would say in particular is I think he’s taking that extra second to make sure he’s making the right play with the puck.
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